Pelvic Fixation Construct Trends in Spinal Deformity Surgery

Purpose Although many techniques exist, spinopelvic fixation continues to present challenges in the management of adult spinal deformity. Shear forces, complex anatomy, and bone quality are common reasons why spine surgeons continue to explore options for fixation. Methods A retrospective chart reviewed of patients receiving pelvic fixation for adult spinal deformity over a 12-year period was conducted. Patients were divided into 3 cohorts based on date of surgery: (1) 2010 to 2013, (2) 2014 to 2017, and (3) 2018 to 2021. Pelvic fixation constructs in the study included traditional iliac screws, stacked S2-alar-iliac (S2AI screws), and triangular titanium implants. Results Of the 494 patients with multiple implant constructs who met the inclusion criteria for this study, patients undergoing pelvic fixation surgery who received at least 2 implants increased by approximately 5% every 4 years (90.2%, 94.6%, 99.1% respectively). Over the 12-year span, the implementation of the S2AI screw grew 120%. Conclusion At our institution, there is a trend toward using multiple bilateral implant constructs for pelvic fixation, with nearly a tenfold percentage increase between the most recent cohorts. These include iliac screws with S2AI screws, multiple stacked S2AI screws, and S2AI screws used in conjunction with triangular titanium implants in hopes to decrease implant failure.